THE MELODIST

The people desire to sing to you, most pure Lady, but they cannot sing praises worthy of your Son. For you always intercede for all the faithful and embrace them with your holy protection. You pray that all will be saved, all who honor you with faith, O most pure Theotokos.

From Vespers for the Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God on October 1

You gladdened Christ’s Church by your melodies, like an inspired heavenly trumpet. You were enlightened by the Mother of God and shone on the world as God’s poet. We lovingly honor you, righteous Romanos.

Troparion for the Feast of St. Romanos, also on October 1.

About this site

The Christian prayers of the Byzantine tradition, handed down from the Church’s first millennium to us today. Simplified for flexible lay use, with aides for chanting and singing and listening by audio.

This site is an unofficial adaptation of Byzantine prayers from the Casoslov (the Book of the Hours), various publications of the Metropolitan Cantor Institute of the Byzantine Catholic Church in America, and other Catholic and Eastern Orthodox sources.

These prayers are intended for private lay use on a mobile phone. They are laid out to be prayed flexibly according to the needs of any given day and hour, whether just one prayer in a few seconds or in partial or fuller use of the traditional orders of prayer when more time is set aside.

Under the "For speech app" submenu, there are pages for some of the hours that can be "shared with" text-to-speech mobile apps (such as Speechify), for convenient listening and praying.

The formation of a regular habit day to day, hour to hour, is the goal – even if the moments of prayer are brief. And as Theophan the Recluse counsels: “Do not concern yourself with the number of prayers read, but only lift your heart and mind to the Lord in prayer, and continue in a worthy manner for the time set aside.”

Chanting by oneself, whether in a flat tone or following the singing in various recordings, helps us “be attentive” (as the Byzantine liturgies remind us to do again and again). It also brings out the poetry and power of these prayers. As St. Augustine wrote, “the one who sings prays twice.” 

This is a work-in-progress, started for my private use, with this personal rule of prayer in mind. “TK” is used throughout as a placeholder. For questions, suggestions, or feedback (especially any mistakes), please contact me.

About St. Romanos

St. Romanos, called the Melodist, was the great hymnographer of the sixth century. He was not a naturally a good reader or singer. In a vision, the Theotokos gave him a scroll to eat, and he went on to compose hundreds of beloved hymns and prayers, many still in use in the Byzantine tradition to this day.

St. Romanos, glorious melodist of God's glory, pray for us!